Chapter 250: Lots of Dirty Tricks

“What?” Manuel was surprised.

“Something happened to my father. Someone at the company may be involved. I don’t want to alert the enemy, so I have to do this discreetly,” Hannah explained.

“How do you know I’m a hacker?” Manuel asked.

Hannah was stunned. She hadn’t known until recently. How could she explain?

“Oscar told you?” Manuel’s voice conveyed skepticism.

“Yes,” she replied.

“Jesus! He tells you everything,” Manuel chuckled. He was teasing her.

“Can you help me?” Hannah returned to the matter at hand.

“Sure. What do you need? Which department?”

“I’ll text you.”

“OK.”

Hannah hung up and texted Manuel.

“I’ll get back to you in two hours,” Manuel replied.

Hannah was amazed. Was Manuel exceptionally skilled, or was Cooper Group’s anti-theft system laughably weak? She pushed the thought aside; she had more pressing matters.

She refocused on the case. Another hundred million dollars—where did it come from? What had the other party gained from such an exorbitantly priced private contract?

Hannah felt overwhelmed, a mental block hindering her progress.

A knock came at the door. She took a deep breath and saw Rose.

“Ms. Hannah, you’re wanted in the boardroom,” Rose said respectfully.

Hannah pursed her lips, impatience evident. “Do you want me to decline?” Rose also sensed the meeting’s dubious nature and doubted Hannah’s ability to handle it, especially since the Chairman had been absent.

“No,” Hannah said, rising. She would observe and react accordingly. She wasn’t intimidated.

She hurried to the boardroom with Jimmy and Rose, but Jimmy waited outside; it concerned company secrets.

Hannah was shocked. Lorie was there, brazenly seated in the chairman’s chair. This was unexpected—a home confrontation escalating to the office.

“Oh, Hannah, you’re here! Now that your father’s absent, you’ll speak for him. Miguel’s situation significantly impacts Cooper Group, so we’ll dismiss him as chairman, and Roger will take his place,” Lorie declared, leaving no room for debate.

“Grandma, we’re in the office, not at home,” Hannah responded calmly, controlling her anger.

“Enough! You’re the elder; we respect and tolerate you. But your unreasonable behavior here is unacceptable. Even if you disregard your own dignity, we younger generations still have ours. Stop making this difficult.”

“What are you talking about? How dare you?” Lorie fumed. “Hannah, I’m representing Cooper Group. Watch your tone and remember your place!”

“Grandma, you’ve never been involved in business. What makes you think you can manage a hundred-billion-dollar company?” Hannah asked softly.

“My son’s in trouble; as the only elder, I’m taking charge.”

“So, my attempts at a peaceful resolution at home were futile?” Hannah sighed, feeling helpless.

“Hannah, it’s settled…”

“NO!” Hannah interrupted forcefully.

Lorie’s expression soured. She’d anticipated this, believing Hannah wouldn't uncover her motive—not to install Roger, but to discredit Hannah and Miguel. Miguel’s absence, however, thwarted her plan to condemn them jointly for ingratitude. Ultimately, it didn't matter; Hannah’s behavior reflected poorly on Miguel.

“My father’s position is secured by his shares. No one can replace him without his consent—not even you, Grandma,” Hannah stated firmly.

Lorie stared, then collapsed, fainting before the senior managers. It appeared the shock of Hannah’s words overwhelmed her.

Roger cried out, “Mom! Mom! Are you okay?” But Lorie remained still.

“Call 911!” Roger shouted.

Chaos erupted. Roger berated Hannah: “Hannah, look what you’ve done! She’s your grandma! You humiliated her! I won’t forgive you if anything happens to her!”

Hannah was stunned. Lorie’s actions were a calculated maneuver. Rejected at home, she’d pursued her agenda despite knowing the office outcome. Hannah regretted her rashness.

Coldly, Hannah watched Roger carry Lorie out. The others followed, but she remained. Her presence was irrelevant.

Rose urged, “Ms. Hannah, shouldn’t you check on your grandmother?”

“No need,” Hannah replied impassively. “She won’t die.”

Rose was speechless. Lorie had overstepped, interfering with company matters and attempting a chairman’s ouster. Yet, she was Hannah's grandmother. Rose was torn.